Combined plumb, rule, and straight-edge.



F. sun. I COMBINED PLUMB, RULE, AND STRAIGHT EDGE.

APPLIOATION FILED D30. 22, 1909.

Patented July 12,1910.

o 4 v J W i a i 2 W UNITED STATES @FFTCE.

FRANK S EITZ, 0F ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA.

COMBINED PLUMB, RULE, AND STRAIGHT-EDGE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK Snrrz, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elkins, 1n the county of Randolph and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Combined Plumb, Rule, and Straight- Edge, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined plumb, rule and straight edge for use by carpenters, brick masons and the like and its object is to provide a sectional device of this character which can be used either as a plumb or straight edge, the same being extensible so as to be especially desirable in leveling joists and in measuring heights, as in getting the proper distances between stories.

A still further object is to provide a sectional tool of this character suitably graduated so that the length thereof, when extended, can be easily determined, there being simple and efficient means for locking the sections against relative movement after a predetermined adjustment has been effected.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device, a portion thereof being broken away. Fig. 2 s an inner elevation of one member of the tool. Fig. 3 is an inner elevation of the other member of said tool. Fig. 41 is a central longitudinal section through one end portion of one of said members. Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the parts shown in Fig. 4:, said section being taken on the transversely ex tending dotted line indicated at Fig. 2.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference A and B designate the two sections constituting the tool, each of these sections being preferably formed of wood. The section A has a central longitudinally dovetailed groove 1, there being parallel rabbets 2 along the sides of the groove and within each of which is fitted a wear plate 3 extending throughout the length of the section A. A guide block 4 is secured in one end of the groove 1 and projects beyond the plane occupied by the wear plates 3, the

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 22, 1909.

Patented July 12, 1910. Serial No. 534,501.

longitudinal edges of the block being so shaped as to overhang the wear plates. A transverse recess 5 is formed within the exposed face of the block and slidably mounted within this recess are oppositely extending curved dogs 6 the outer ends of which are pointed. Each of these dogs is pivot-ally connected, at its inner end, to a slide 7 mounted on the block 1, said slide being provided with a longitudinal slot 8 into which projects a guide pin 9. One end of the slide projects beyond the outer end of block 4 and terminates in a finger piece 9 which extends beyond the end of the block.

An opening 10 is formed within the member A close to the inner end of the block fl: and is so shaped as to receive a plumb bob 11 attached to one end of a cord 12 as ordinarily. ,A longitudinally extending opening 13 is formed in the member A below one of the wear strips 8 and at one side of the block at, there being a spirit level 11 located within this opening and arranged parallel with the longitudinal edges of the member A. An opening 15 is formed in the middle portion of the member A and contains another spirit level 16 extending longitudinally of the tool, there being a guard wire 17 within the opening and parallel with the spirit level.

An opening 18 is formed within the member A at a point between the spirit level 16 and that end of the member farthest removed from block A and a spirit level 19 is located in this opening and extends transversely of the member. This spirit level is also provided with a guard wire 20 which is parallel therewith. The longitudinal edges of the member A are straight and parallel and one of the wear plates 3 is graduated to indicate inches and fractions thereof.

The member B is similar in all respects to the member A with the exception that, if desired, the opening 13 and the spirit level 14 may be dispensed with. Then too the guide block 21 carried by this member is located at that end of the dovetail groove 22 farthest removed from the bob receiving opening 23.

It is to be understood that when the parts are assembled the projecting portion of the block 4; is seated within the groove 22 and in engagement with the walls thereof while the block 21 is seated within the groove 1 and in engagement with its walls. When the two members are thus placed with their corresponding ends registering, the openings 10 and 23 register and the corresponding openings 15 register, as do the openmgs 18. It will be seen therefore that the tool when thus assembled has two sets of similar parallel spirit levels within the openings 15 and 18 and two registering bob receiving openings in which the bob 11 may hang. The cord 12 is preferably connected to the member A although it is to be understood that it can be attached to the member B. With the parts thus arranged the tool can be used not only as a plumb but can also be used as a spirit level. hen it is desired to level joists the two members A and B can be shifted so as to elongate the tool. They can then be locked against independent movement by pulling outwardly on either or both of the linger pieces 9. This will. cause the slides 7 to pull upon the pivot ends of dogs 6 and project the points of the dogs into engagement with the walls of the grooves in which the blocks 4: and 21 are seated. The tool can then be placed on edge upon the joists and used in the same manner as an ordinary straight edge usually provided for this purpose. Should it be desired to use the device for getting the proper height of stories, etc, the same can be extended until the desired length is incheated by the graduation registering with one end of one of the members. The device can then be set on end and the desired measurements taken. Should it be desired at any time to use two spirit levels, the two members can be taken apart and each used for that purpose. Each of the members can also be used as a plumb by attaching a bob to it.

It is to be understood of course that various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described including opposed members having longitudinal grooves, a block upon each member and projecting into and engaging the walls of the groove in the opposed member, a slide on each block, and means actuated by the slide and guided within the block for engaging the walls of the groove to hold the members against independent movement.

2. A device of the class described including opposed longitudinally grooved members of the same length, a projecting portion upon each member and slidable in the groove of the opposed member, a level carried by each member, and a bob, a connection between the bob and one of the members, said members having registering openings adapted to recelve the bob.

3. A device of the class described including opposed longitudinally grooved me1nbers of the same length, a guide block upon each member and movably mounted in the opposed groove, means movably mounted upon each block for engaging the walls of the opposed grooves and a slidable actuating device connected to said engaging means upon each block.

4. A device of the class described including opposed members having longitudinal dovetail grooves, a block upon each memher and projecting into the groove in the opposed member, a slide mounted on each block, and dogs pivotally connected to each slide, said block and slide cooperating to shift the dogs into engagement with the walls of the grooves.

5. A device of the class described including opposed members each having a longitudinal groove means upon each member for slidably engaging the walls of the groove in the other member, dogs movably mounted upon each of said means, an actuating device connected to the dogs for shifting them into engagement with the walls of the grooves and means upon each member and cooperating with one of the ends of the other member for indicating the length of the device when extended.

6. A device of the class described including slidably connected members shiftable longitudinally with relation to each other, means carried by and interposed between the members for locking them against independent movement, lock actuating means projecting beyond the ends of the members, and means upon each member and cooperating with one end of the other member for indicating the length of the device when extended.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK SEITZ.

Vitnesses O. J. KING, 0. H. DAMON. 

